Electric hand lamp



Oct. 19, 1937. c. H. BissELL ELECTRIC HAND LAMP Filed Sept. 9, 1935 BY/M/L/ ATTORNEYS u Patented Oct. 19, 1937 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC 'HAND LAMP Carl H. Bissell, Syracuse, N. Y., assigner to Crouse-Hinds Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 4 claims.

This invention relates to electric hand lamps of the type that may be carried about in the hand at the end of a flexible wire or cable, and consists generally of a body portion forming the handle, and a lamp receptacle mounted in one end of the body portion, and a glass globe andr guard also carried bythe same end 'of the body so as to produce an enclosed safety lamp for use in hazardous or semi-hazardous locations,

10" such as in and about oil elds.

The invention has for an object a portable electric hand lamp of the type having a resilient insulating body and handle portion, a glass globe coacting with the body to form a dust and vaportight enclosure for the bulb, and a metallic guard for the globe and bulb which may be quickly and conveniently displaced, without the aid of any tools, to permit the outside of the glass globe to be cleaned.

When these portable electric hand lamps are used in and about oil fields, it is necessary to use the glass globe to effect a vapor-tight closure for the electric bulb. This glass globe quickly becomes smeared over with oil, with the result that the emission of light from the bulb is reduced to a point where the lamp is of no practical'use. It then becomes necessary for the user to remove the metallic wire guard surrounding the globe, wipe the oil from the globe, and replace the guard, the guard being necessary to prevent mechanical injury or breakage to the glass globe.

In electric portable hand lamps heretofore used, it required an appreciable amount of time, and the use of at least a screw-driver, to remove the guard 'from the portable lamp in order to permit the globe to be cleaned. As above stated, an object of this invention is a hand lamp of such construction that the guard may be readily removed, the globe cleaned, and the guard replaced, in a matter of a few seconds.

A further object of the invention is a portable electric hand lamp of such construction that While the guard may be quickly and conveniently displaced from about the glass globe, it can not be entirely removed from the lamp. 'I'his feature prevents the guard from being misplaced, and prevents the hand lamp from being used without a guard. In many instances, when Workabout an oil well the operators have a tendency to dispense with the guard to avoid the inconvenience of manipulating the same during frequent cleaning of the globe. It is, of course, dangerous for the operators to use the hand lamp without the guard, inasmuch as the glass globe may be broken and if so, as a general rule, the

9, 1935, Serial No. 39,756

(Cl. 24U-54) electric bulb will also be broken and the usual ilash accompanying the breaking of the bulb may ignite the inammable gases present in the atmosphere.

The invention has as a further object a conveniently operated means for detachably securing the lamp receptacle in the bodyof the hand lamp.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views. 15

Figure l is a lengthwise, sectional view of the hand lamp with the parts in elevation.

Figure 2 is a View taken on lines 2 2, Figure 1.

This hand lamp comprises generally a body portion of resilient heat insulating material, such L as rubber, and formed so as to serve as a handle and having a passage extending axially through the handle and communicating with a recess in one end in which a lamp receptacle is mounted.

The invention includes further means for detachably securing a glass globe to the end of the body so as to surround the globe to form a vapor-proof closure therefor, and a guard carried by the body and being displaceable to permit access to the globe for cleaning or the like, and 30 means for preventing the complete removal of the guard from the hand lamp.

I0 designates the body portion which is of conventional circular form and provided with an enlargedend or head portion Il, and a handle portion I2. The body is substantially tubular in that it is provided with an axial extending passage to receive the cable I3. The axial passage is enlarged in the head portion Il to receive the lamp receptacle I4 which is provided, adjacent its open end with an outwardly extending annular flange I5. The flange I5 is preferably square or hexagonal, and the outer end'of the enlarged Y recess is of complemental shape. This construction preventsV relative rotary movement between 45 the lamp receptacle I4 and the body I0.

As here shown, a hexagonal portion I6 of the receptacle receiving recess is formed with an annular groove or recess II to receive a snap ring I8 which, when seated in the groove I1, bears against the outer faceV of the flange l5 of the lamp receptacle and prevents it from coming out of the head portion Il. By pinching the free ends I9 of the snap ring I8 together, the ring may be readily removed fromrthe recess I1 and formed with internal screw threads to receive the externally threaded base of the globe 26. A guard is carried by the body and consists of an annular base member 21, and a metallic cage 28 secured thereto. Means is provided for detachably connecting the guard, or the base 21 thereof, to the bodyof the lamp to permit the guard to be displaced, whereby access may be had to the globe 26 to remove the same during relamping of the device, or to clean the outer surface of the globe.

As here shown, a ring 30 encircles the head portion II below the flange 25 thereof, and is provided with external threads complemental to internalthreads formed on the inner surface of the base 21 ofthe guard. y The body I0 is'formed with a peripheral groove or recess, and this recess-is provided with one or more axially extending grooves to receive the ribs 3| extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the ring member 30. Due to the fact that the body I is formed of rubber, or other resilient material, the annular member 30 may be seated in the peripheral gro-ove of the body by sleeving the member 30 over the handle portion, the base of the head portion II having suilicient compressibility to permit the ring member to be forced over the shoulder or ledge 32 of the body. 'I'he purpose of the ribs 3| on the annular member 30 is to prevent relative rotary movement between the member and the body. It will be observed that the outer diameter of. the ring 30 is less than the outer diameter of the head portion II adjacent the flange 25 thereof. Or, in other words, the diameter of the base 21 of the guard is smaller than the head portion I I and accordingly, the guard is screwed upon the ring 30 by sleeving the guard over the handle I2 toward the head portion I I.

With this construction, the user can readily unscrew the guard from the ring member 30, sleeve it downwardly over the handle I2, thus displacing the guard or the cage 28 from about the globe 26, and can then clean the globe, or remove it, as thecase may be.

In practice, the operators, in oil fields and the like, where frequent cleaning of the globe is necessary, displace the guard by unscrewing the same from the ring member 30, and wipe off the globe 26 on their clothing, and replace the guard.

It will be observed that with the construction described, the guard is displaceable fro-m the body by sleeving it over the handle I2. This feature is of importance as it avoids the necessity of having to remove the guard and hold the same in one hand, or lay it down while the globe is being cleaned, and there is accordingly less likelihood of. an operator not putting the guard back on the hand lamp. However, to avoid all probability of the operator leaving the guard oif from the hand lamp, means is provided to prevent the complete removal of the guard from the hand lamp. As here shown, this comprises a hook 35 secured to the handle I2. The hook 3.5 also serves the useful function of permitting the lamp to be hung up, if desired. The hook 35 is of such dimensions, relative to the handle I2, that it is impossible to remove the guard from the hand lamp. Preferably, the hook is permanently attached to the handle I2, and as here shown a metallic band 36 encircles the handle, and the base of the hook is pivoted between the free ends of. the band 36 which are joined together by a rivet 31. As here shown, the ends of the band 36 beyond the rivet 31 are bent over the shank of the hook, thereby preventing any pivotal motion of the hook 35. 'I'he guard is shown in displaced position by the dotted lines in Figure 1, from which. it will be readily apparent that it is impossible to move the guard any further oif from vthe handle I2.

Often these hand lamps are used when the operator is situated on a high ladder, or in a simvilar position, where at least one hand is necessarily employed. With the construction described, the operator can grip the guard under his arm,l and by turning the handle I2 can displace the guard from/about the globe 26, and without any fear that he may drop the guard. The operator may then wipe oir the globe 26 on his clothing,V and againnreplace the guard by manipulating it underhis arm. Y

With hand lamps usually employed, it is necessary to release the guard by means of a screwdriver, which obviously could not be done under certain situations, as the one above referred to.

While possessing the novel features above pointed out, the hand lamp retainsV all of the desirable features common in hand lamps now used.

What I claim is:

1. In a portable electric hand lamp, the combination of a tubular body formed with an enlarged head portion and a handle portion, a lamp receptacle mounted in the head portion, a guard carried by the head portion and arranged to encircle the bulb carried by the lamp receptacle, said guard and head portion having coacting means operable to permit displacement of the guard from the head portion toward the handle portion upon relative rotatable movement of the body and the guard, and-means carried by the body to prevent complete removal of the guard from the hand lamp when displaced from the head portion.

2. A portable electric hand lamp comprising a tubular body formed with a head portion and a handle, a lamp receptacle mounted in the head portion, a globe carried by the head portion and forming an enclosure for the bulb carried by the lamp receptacle, an annular member detachably secured to the head portion below the bulb and provided with external screw threads, a guard including a base provided with complemental internal threads, whereby the guard may be unscrewed from the annular member and sleeved over the body toward the handle, and a hook member carried by the handle for hanging the lamp and being cooperable` with said guard to prevent complete removal of the guard from the hand lamp.

3. A portableelectric hand lamp comprising a body provided with a head portion and a handle, a lamp socket detachably secured in the head portion, an annular member encircling the body intermediate the head portion and the handle. and being provided with external threads, a guard having a base provided with internal threads complemental to those on said annular member, said annular member and said guard base being of lesser diameter than the head portion of the body, whereby said guard base may be detached from said annular member and moved toward the handle, and a hook member carried by the handle for hanging the lamp and being cooperable with said guard to prevent complete removal of the guard from the hand lamp.

4. A portable electric hand lamp comprising a tubular body provided at one end with an enlarged head portion and at the other end with a handle portion, a lamp receptacle detachably mounted in the head portion, a guard detachably mounted onV said head portion and being displaceable therefrom upon relative rotatable movement between the body and the guard, and being movable over the handle portion, a hook member carried by the handle portion and being cooperable With said guard to prevent remova1 of the guard from the handle portion when the same is displaced from the head portion.

CARL H. BISSELL. 

